Tag Archives: sifted

april update + sifted

springcleaning

The increase in daylight came just in time for this busy season of life. We are in process of finishing up the sale of our first home, beginning a new business venture, working on getting a garden started, and attempting to keep up with everything else. Boredom is a luxury that just doesn’t exist. We take one day off a week, but other than that, it is full force ahead.

I will be sharing progress photos and information on our new garden/urban homestead, as well as more recipes, photos, and projects. In the meantime, I periodically share some of my favorite internet discoveries in my sifted series. My April collection is listed below. Enjoy!

: : I’m inspired by the results of this planting method. Fruit and nut trees take some time to begin producing, so once we start placing ours we will definitely try speeding up the results with the information given. Check out the video!

: : The strawberries are beginning to flower, and I have found this fun project for the girls and I to try out. Maybe we will get to savor more of our ruby-hued fruit than the birds!

: : I often have leftover brown rice to use up, so I found a Lentil and Brown Rice Soup recipe on Pinterest that has become great way to use the leftovers in a delicious and easy meal. I employ my vegetable broth seasoning recipe to replace the chicken broth, and left out the celery (for some reason I never have celery). Yum!

sifted

sifted3

I periodically share some of my favorite internet discoveries in my sifted series. My February collection is listed below. Enjoy!

: : The girls and I have been appreciating more reading time together indoors during this colder, rainy weather (with the addition of our rare few snow days). Some of my/our favorite books to read together include G is for Goat and Mommies Say Shh! I love the illustrations by Patricia Polacco.

: : Though I am not a cauliflower fan, I tried this vegan Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo recipe and loved it! The sauce is creamy and delicious. I used my vegetable broth seasoning recipe for the 3 cups of vegetable broth in the ingredients.

: : Our interest in homesteading and sustainable living has us excited about the 2014 Sustainable Preparedness Expo in Portland May 18th. I hope to attend and learn from all the workshops and training sessions available!

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. I only recommend products I use myself. Thank you for helping support this blog and our goals for a self-sufficient homestead!

update + sifted

door2

It has been a busy month: moving and unpacking, adjusting to city life for this country girl at heart, dealing with a sick toddler and baby, a little traveling, trying to find some time to grow our side income to get us to our financial goals, and just the day-to-day responsibilities and modifications at our new home.

Next week I am excited to start sharing some of the recipes I have experimented with for our family (chickpeas are on the menu again!), as well as a few ideas on what to do with an abundance of that summer harvest which may be piling up for you (for me it was plums and potatoes)! I also want to finish the Life-in-a-Fixer posts with the last photos I took before we moved and reveal the plants (and trees!) I started growing at our new home!

Today, I am leaving some links to my favorite internet discoveries since my last sifted post. I hope you enjoy!

: : This homemade deodorant recipe is amazing! It really works!

: : I found sage growing in our yard, so I will be making this as an all-purpose cleaner.

: : Since downsizing to 1,000 square feet, I have found inspiration in posts like this.  Hopefully soon we can build our own tiny home, tailored for our family (there are certain benefits to marrying an architect). Less is more!

: : Love this post about focusing on beauty even in the midst of difficulty. Holding on to those moments, especially in parenting!

Follow me on Pinterest for additional links!

sifted

sifted

I took a small break from sharing online. Sometimes I need rest from exposing my life. It is difficult to allow myself to be vulnerable in this whole blogging venture. Exposed to scrutiny and judgment, opening up my life, and my family. It is a dangerous, radical thing, especially in this season. That and we have been so busy that it becomes hard to sit down and compile my thoughts and projects coherently without consuming what little and precious time we have left.

If I don’t feel ready to speak, it is helpful to let others do it for me. Below are some of my favorite internet discoveries of the month. I plan to collect these links each month or so, and post them for whoever else may be interested.

: : The disappearance of childhood has been on my thoughts lately. I want my children to grow up slowly, enjoying a connection to nature and simpler things. Too often children skim over their best years staring at a screen or sitting and reciting things in a classroom.

: : As our family transitions to a gluten-free diet we have been loving this recipe. Great for making a large batch and eating leftovers throughout the week or freezing. If you have any favorite gluten-free recipes, let me know!

: : These 5 things are quite important, and I think I will always feel like a beginner gardener.

: : I love these thoughts on parenting and grace. I couldn’t have explained it better.